Centrifugal machine and method of balancing same



Jan.v 6, 1925.

W. E. BOCK Y CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE AND METHOD 0F BALANCING SAME Filed oct. 14; y1920 54 sheets-sheet 1 5.5 INV-ENTER Jan, 6, 1925..

W. E. BOCK CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE AND METHOD oF BALANCING SAME 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1920 Jan. 6; 1925. 1,521,858

w. E. BocK CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE AND METHOI.) OF BALANCING SAME.

Filed oct. 14, 1920 5 sheets-sheet s M any@ W. E. BOCK CENTRFUGAL MACHINE AND METHOD OF BALANCING SAME jan, 6,

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 14, 1920 Jan. 6, .1925-` 1,521,858

W. E. BOCK CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE AND METHOD 0F BALANCING SAME Filed Oct. 14', 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 LNX/ENTER Patented Jan. 6,., A1925.

UNITED STATES,

WILLIAM EMIL Boex, or EAGLE POINT co-LoNY, omo, AssI'GNon To BERTIIA M. Booz,

y 1,521,858 PATENT oFFlcl-z.

OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

I oENTRIrUaI. MACHINE AND `METHOD or BALANCING SAME.

Application iledctober 14, 1920. SerialNo. 416,782.

To all whom t concer/n.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EMIL Boon,

' a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Eagle Point Colony, in the county of Wood and State of Ohio, have made an Invention -Appertaining to Centrifugal Machines and Methods of Balancing Same; vand I do hereby declare the following to be a full',` clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable lothers `skilled vin the art to which it 'appertains to make and use the same', reference being had to the accompanylng drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to d ing and separating machines of the centri gal type, and more particularly to machines of this class adapted for the drying of clothes.

In the use of machines of this class considerable difficulty is experienced in maintaining a true rotary movement of the clothes 1 container or bowl and eliminating gyrating movements and vibration thereof when running at high speed and the weight of the clothes or other matter being dried or acted on is not equally distributed therein.

rIhe primary object of my invention is the provision in machines of the class described,

'of means which is automatically operable by a running of the machine to equalize the weight in the container or basket-v thereof around its axis of rotation to'cause a true running thereof at high speed and to prevent the objectionable vib 'otherwise be'present.

forms, only a few embodiments thereof are `illustrated in theI accompanying drawings, in

which,-

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section on the lline 1 1 in Fig. 2 of a clothes drying Inachine embodying the invention, with the clothes container or basket tilted slightly to onel side to admit the weight equalizing lliquid tovone side of the container, and illusl .tratingthe action of such liquid when the l'c :ontaineris rotated at high speed and the -icq'ualizing vaction is taking place. Fig. 2 is Ua' horizontal sectionof the clothes container on the line 2-,2uin Fig.. 3. Fig. 3 is a ver! tical section of the container-on the line 1-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section'of a slightly modified form of the ina-j chine. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5,-5 in Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a central ver-A tical section of a different modification of the machine. Fig. 7fis a top fragmentary plan View Yof the container thereof, and Fig. 8 is a cross section ofv the control cam taken on the line 8-8 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a stationary base frame having an opening 2 in its top, 3 a cylindrical shell or casing rising from the frame around said opening and in communication rat its top with the interior of a casin 4 which it supports. The casing 4 is of cy indrical form and has its bottom annularly dished around thenpper end of the supporting shell 3 to form a water drainage trough 5 having a discharge outlet 6 at one side. The casing 4 is provided in its top v l with a large opening to render access to the upper end with an open top cylindrical clothesl container or bowl 12 disposed within the casing 4 and adapted to have vrotary movements thereinl with the shaft, as hereinafter described. v

The container v12is formed with an inner lining or shelll, which is spacedv from the bottom of the'container 12 to form a false bottom therefor, and has its side Walls formed around the same with successive scallops 14,-which meet at their edges .with the outer wall of the container to provide the container wall with successive pockets or spaces l5.l These pockets or spaces extend at their tops to near the top ofthe container loo and at their lower ends to the bottom of the container, where they communicate with the Aspacel' between the bottom portions of the inner and outer walls of the container. The

bottom space 16 is divided into aplurality,

of .radial passageways .by-'radial ypartitions 17 which extend from adjacent to the axis of the container outwardly to the points where the scallops 14l of the .inner wall or lining connect with the'outer wall so that each radial passageway communicates with a separate wall pocket 15.

The container bottom is provided at its center with a' ta ered socket member or cage 18, which is disposed between the central portions of thetwo bottom walls of the container and has its top open to the interior of the container exceptfor a removable cover 19 closing the same; The shaft 11 projects into the cage 18 and cooperates therewith to form a ball and socket joint forlthercontainer to permit it to assume different tilting positions with res ect to the shaft..

A closed-bottom cy indrical shellf 21 encircles the shaft 11 between the bearing 10 and container 12, .bein fixed at its bottom to the shaft to rotate t er'ewith. This shellserves as a storage reservoir for the weight equalizing liquid 22 of the machine and has its top open and terminating adjacentl to the bottom-of vthe container 12. The upper edge of the shell 21 is provided with an `an,` nular channel 23 concentric to the shaft axis and receiving a combination ring gasket Vand valve 24 of rubber or` other suitable yielding material of a resilient nature. This ring member is intended to fit up closely against the bottom f the container 12 to normally maintain the same in level position, or with the axis of the container in true longitudinal alignment with the shaft axis, and

' at the same time is sufficiently compressible in its nature to permit a rrockingor tilting of the container in" any direction with respect to the shaft when the container at one side of its axis is over-weighted with respect to the other side. The ring' member 24 has a pliant lian e 25 projecting outward from its upper e ge entirely therearound :and

fixedly secured at its outer edge portion .tov

the bottom of the container in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by providing such outer edge portion of the flange with a spring ring 26, which is firmly Afitted against or in outwardly sprung engagement with ,a sur-- rounding annular flange orshoulder 2 7 on the container bottom.

The outer casing of the container 12 is provided at its bottom with a circular series of openings'28 arranged concentric to the axis of the container and in position to b e closed by the ring valve 24 when seated through such openings and thence outward through the radial space 16 and up into the registeringpocket or pockets 15, thereby effecting i-an. automatic equalizing-V of the weight in the container. It will be understood that when the container is overweighted at one side by clothes or other matter placed therein, the gasket or valve 24 will be compressed at such side by the tilting action of the container, and the container bottom at the opposite side thereof will be raised i vfrom the anchored body portion ofthe valve ring to uncover the openings 28 at such side, as illustrated in Fig. 1.. This figure also illustrates the form which the liquid takes within the .container by reason of centrifugal force thereon when the container and shellY 21 are rapidly rotated.

pending from itsy bottom concentric to the bearings 10 and'outturned at itsv foot to rest on a friction drive wheel 30 carried in the present instance by the shaft of a motor 31, secured to the underside of the base frame 1. A control cam 32, carried by a shaft 33, is-adapted' to engage the foot. of the flange 10. It is thus evident that araising` of the flange wheel 29 will effect a raisingof the Y shaft and container and that the pulley 30,;

mi the shaft llbeing mounted for axial movements in the bearing.

when -in drivingicoaction with said flange, f will support theV sha'ft and parts carried thereby so that no loyverend thrust bearing for the shaft is reqtired. The'cam shaft 33 has a control ar 34 extending upward therefrom at a sideofthemachine'in convenient reach-of the operator. The lower end of the bearing 10 is closed by a plug 35 with vertical rows of wall perforations 36 w through which the vliquid extracted from the clothes or other matter within the 'container is permitted to pass by centrifugal action into the outer receiving shell-4, such liquid being then drained from the bottom of the shell 4 through the 4drainage *opening- 6. The

vcage 18 has its interior in communication with the space 16 between the inner and outer walls of the container through openings 37, and the space within the cage 1s in communication with the interior of the liquid containing shell 21 through a passage .l

38 in'the upper end of theshaft, thereby passes. into the equalizlng space '16 and ockets 15 of the container, the air displaced providing an air passage between the interior of the shell 21 and the space 16 which facilitates the passage ofliquid from. one to the other ofv said container and space and 'prevents a vacuum from occurring 1n either. Tn other words, as the liquid in the shell 21 y such liquid will pass from the pockets and space 16 into the container, and vice use versa'. A'drainage of liquid from the con- .by a spider 40.

In' the from of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, the pockets in the container for the equalizing liquid are disposed within the container radially thereof so that the con- I tainer is divided around its center into alter- Vnating pockets, one set of which are larger than the other and adapted to receive the clothes Aor other matter to be acted on While the other set receives the qualizing liquid.

In this form of the invention 41 desig- 4 nates the container or bowl, which is mounted for universal tilting movements on the upper end of the vertical drive shaft 42, the shaft bearing in the containerbottom being enclosed by a cage43, in the present instance, at its top. The container `is provided interiorly betw'een the cage 43 and its outer wall with a plurality of sets of radial partitions 44 with the partitions of each set forming narrow radially disposed pockets 45 therebetween in communication at their inner ends with the interiorof the cage 43, and each also having an opening 46 lin its bottom adjacent to its inner end. The spaces 47 formed by the partitions 44 are adapted to receive the clothes or vother matter to be acted on and the peripheral Wall of the container at the outer sides of the spaces 47 are perforatedl as shown at 48 to permit the radial discharge of liquid therefrom into the receiving space within the outer shell 4. The shell 49, which is carried by the shaft 42 and forms the liquid storage chamber, the

- same as in the form previously described,

carries a rin gasket or valve 50 around its upper edge for seating against lthe bottom of the container 41 in closing relation to all ofthe openings 46 therein when lthe container is in normal level position. The ring valve 50 is compressible in nature, being, for instance, of rubber, and has a flange 51 projecting outward from its upper edge and clamped at its free edge portion to the bottom of the container by aclamping ring 52.

lt is evident that with this form of the invention the openings 46 Willbe uncovered at one side of the container by the tilting of the container caused bya weighting down of the opposite side, and that when the container 1s rapidly rotated in such tilted posi# 4 tion the liquid within the shell49 passes up-v ward and outward through lthe uncovered opening 46 and into the communicating liquidreceiving pocket 45 of the container a suflicient extent to equalize the weight in the container around its. axis and cause it to assume` a level posltion. The `liquid end of the socket.

which'has been forced in this manner into a pocket 45 is permitted to drain therefrom, after a closin of the valve opening 46, by passing into t 1e interior of the cage 43 and thence through a drainage passage 53 in the shaft back into the shell 49.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, except that a` different form of valve is employed for controlling the discharge of weight equalizing liquid from the storage lchamber into the equalizing pocket or pockets of the container. In this form of the invention designates the base frame havmg' the shell 61 rising therefrom and supporting at its top the casing 62 in which the container or bowl 63 is mounted. The shaft 64 vcarrying the container` is journaled in a SOl bearing 65frising from the base frame 60.

centrally Within the shell 61 and carries a Wheel l66 at its lower end-below the frame 60 .in position to rest on a. friction drive Wheel 67 of a motor 68. A plate or casting 69 is Xed to the bottom ofthe container 63 and is provided With a' shaft receiving bearing, part 70 in concentric relation to the con-- thereto by a pin 73, orrin any other suitable manner. to cause'a rotation of the plate 69 lwith the shaft, and at the same time permit a rocking of one with respect to the other.

Such rocking action of the plate and shaft is opposed by a cushion gasket 74, which is held within the outer end portion of the socket 71 and against the shaft shoulder 72 by a ring 75, which is threaded in the outer The interior of the container 63 is divided into a plurality of alternating andv equidistantly spaced clothes containing pockets 76 and liquid receiving pockets 77 `by partitions 78, the liquid pockets 77 opening at their inner ends into the interior of' a centrally disposed ycylindrical shell or cage 79. `Eachpocket 77 is provided i-n its bottom with an opening 80 in communication with a liquidstorage chamber formed below the container around its supporting shaft b a shell 81, which is carried at its outer e ge by the container bottom, the inner upper. edge of the shell 8 1 projectin loosely up into an annular recess 82 in the' caring 70 to cooperate with liquid contained in the shellv 81 to form a liquid seal at suchdpoint. Each opening 80 is normally close stem projecting up into the respective pocket 77 and is normally retained seated by a spring 84. The upper end of lthe shaft 64 by a valve 83, wluch` has its projects into the cage 79 and carries a spider 85 having anarm 86 projectinglzoutward' into each liquidreceiving pocket in position to engage the upper end of the associated stem `of a valve 83. It is therefore evident that any tilting of the container 63 with respect to the shaft,'which is rendered possible by reason ofthe compressiblenature of the gasket'-74, will-cause the splder arm 86 at the upwardly tilted -side of the container to coact with the registering valve The' liquid in draining from the pocket 77 passes into the cage 7 9' and thence from the bottom thereof'through openings 87 into the shell 81.

It is evident that my 'invention contem-v plates the provision in connection with a rotatable article or matter supporting member, of means which is automatically operable to act according to the speed of rotation of themember, and to the normal location of the center of inertia of the member relative to its axis of rotation, to counterbalance thel member or shift the center of inertia thereof into register with the axis of rotation. lt is also evident that in each vof the forms of the invention illustrated any unevenness in the distribution of weight in the container or supporting member which causes an oE-setting of the center of inertia of the member relative to its axis of rotation will be compensated for and the center of inertia and axis of rotation caused to regis- .ter by reason of' the weight equalizing mass,

(in the present instance liquid), being released and passing by vcentrifugal action from-the storage chamber therefor into the lighter side of the container, or at the opposite side of the axis of rotation thereof to its'V normal center of inertia. Shortly after starting the rotation of the container or supporting member, a sufiicient quantity of liquidV will have been' admitted to the lighterl side thereof to equalize the weight and prevent the vibration which would otherwise be present. in the rotating parts due to the un'-` balanced Weight condition.

lg'wish it understood that my inventionis 'not'limited to the specific forms of the invention illustrated and described, or to the ar-` rangement and construction of the parts thereof, as it is capable of numerous'modifi-- cations and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l -claLn-as new and desire to A'secureby Let- 1'. In a. rotatable supporting member capableof ,universaly tilting movements around 1ts,ax1s, a sbiftable' weight counterbalancing` means rotatable with the member, and means automatically oper-ableaocording to the norl mal location of the center of inertia of the member relative to its axis of rotation to ]pable of shifting movements'transverse to -its axis of rotation, centrifugaly operating means automatically operable according to the normal location of the center of inertia relative to the axis ofrotation of the member and to the unbalanced shifted transverse position of the member to counterbalance the member. 'A

3. lnna' rotatable supporting member capable of universal tilting movements about its axis of rotation, automatic means acting according to a tilting of the member and to the normal location of the center of inertia relative to the Aaxis ofrotation of the member to counterbalance .the member.

4. In a rotatable supporting member capable ofl shifting movements transverse to "its axis of rotation, centrifugal operating ,means automatically operable according to the extent ofy shifting movement of the member and to the normal location of the centerin the member which is` at the opposite sidev of the axis of rotation of the member to the normal center of inertia thereof, whereby to balance the member with respect'to its axis of rotation.

6.` In combination, a member mounted fory rotary movements and for universal tilting moyements' with respect to its axis ofrotation and having spaces around its axis, and

Y means automaticallyv operable bycentrifugal action and ,by tilting movementagaf the member and according to the normallocation of the center of inertiarelative ,to the axis of rotation of the member to transfer a part thereof into ya space in the member located at the opposite side of the axis of rotation to the normal center of inertia whereby to balance the member. v

7.V In combination, a rotatable supporting member capable of shifting movements lUJ llU

transverse to its axis'ofrotation and'having Y spaces distributed around its axis for receiv- VVing av balancing mass, and means including a movable weight-equalizingmass operable 1 by centrifu al action upon a rotation 'of the t member an in accordance ywith the shifting ofthe member and with the normal location of the center of inertia of the member relatatable with the member and forming a storage chamber for the equalizing mass adapted to have communication with the spaces through the inlet openings, a weight equalizing mass disposed in sa1d chamber, valve means normally closing the openings and operable by a tilting of the member to uncover an opening at a side of the axis of rotation of the member opposed to the normal center of inertia thereof, whereby the mass, by centrifugal action, may enter'. the communicating space to cause a shifting of the center of inertia into register with the axis of rotation.

9. In combination, a rotatable supporting member tiltable with respect toits axis of rotation and having spaces around the' axis, means rotatable with the member and forming a storage chamber for a shiftable weight equalizing mass, said chamber. adaptedpto Y have communication with said spaces, a

shiftable weight equalizing mass contained in the chamber, and means normally closing the communication between the chamber and spaces whenthe member is' in balanced position and automatically operable to open the communication with one or more of the spaces when the member is in unbalanced position with respect to its axis to. permit the weight equalizing mass to pass by centrifugal action from the chamber into a communicating space to balance the member.

10. In combination, a rotatable supporting member universally tiltable with respect to its axis of rotation and having a storage chamber concentric to its axis .for a shiftable wei ht equalizing mass and also having spaces istributed around its axis. with a communicating passage between the spaces and chamber, a shiftable weight equahzing mass in the chamber, and valve means clos- Aing the passages between the spaces and chamber when the ymember is in balanced position and o erable according to the normal location 'o the center of inertia of the member relative tothe axis of rotation thereof to uncover certain passages and permit the mass by centrifu al action to enter a space at the opposite side of the -axis o'fjrotation to the center-of inertia of the member to cause a balancing' of themember with respect toits axis. f l l1. In combinatlon, a rotatable supfiortarranged around its axis and extending outward therefrom, each space having an inletopening, ymeans forming al storage chamber in concentric relation tothe member axis, and in communication with said openings, a shiftable weight equaliz'ing mass disposed in the chamber and movable therefrom by centrifugal action into the member spaces, and valve means normally closing sald open-v ings and operable by an unbalanced tilting i of the member to permit a movement of a portion of the mass to a space at the opposite side of the member axis to the normal center of inertia thereof to shift the center` and. in communication with each space through its opening, a shiftable weight equalizing mass in the chamber, a com ressible means normally holding the mem er in balanced relation to its .axis and closingy the openings, said compressible means bein operable' by an unbalanced condition o t e member to permitthe centrifugal passage ofthe mass into a spa e at the opposite sides of the member axis to its center of inertia to return the memberV to balanced position when rotated.v

13. In combination, a rotatable member tiltable with respect to its axis of rotation and having a plurality of spaces provided in its wall around .its axis, means rotatable with the member and forming a storage chamber adapted .to have communication with each of the s aces, a Weight equalizing no?.

mass disposed in t e chamber and shiftable by centrifugal action into the spaces of member, 'and means closing the communicaytion between the spaces and chamber when v in the chamber, a container carried for `rotation with the shaft and for shifting movelments relative thereto and having spaces around its axis ada ted tb have rotation with the chamber, an meansnormally clos- .in said communication vwhen the container is m balanced position with respect to' the chamber, a shiftable weight equalizing masfg 'supportingmember having Weight equalizing pockets arranged around its axis of rotation and in communication with the chamber, a shift-able weight equalizing medium in the chamber adapted to be directed by ,centrifugal action into the pockets, and

means controlling the communication between the pockets and chamberl and auto matically operable according to the normal location of the center of inertia of the member relative to its axis of rotation to permit the passage of the medium into the pockets at. the opposite side of the -axis of rotation lto-the center of inertia `to shift the latter into register with the axis of rotation. 16. In combination, rotatable means formmg a storage chamber and a supporting member having Weight equalizing pockets arranged around its axis of rotation and in communication with the storage chamber, a

shiftable Weight equalizing medium in the chamber adapted to be directed by centrifugal action into the pockets, and means normally closing'the communication between the chamber and pockets and automatically operable by an overbalancing of the supporting member With respect to its axis of rotation to open the chamber' vcommunication to a pocket at the lighter side of the axis of rotation to equalize the Weight of the rotary means about. its axis. 40

17. ln combination, rotatable ,means formlng a storage chamber and a tiltable supporting member having Weight equalizing pockets arranged around its axist of r0- tation and in communication with the chamber, a shiftable Weight equalizing medium in vthe chamber adapted to 'be directed by` centrlfugal p action into the'pockets, and

means normally maintaining the supporting member 1n balanced position with ,respect to its axis of rotationand normally closing the.

communicationjbetween bthe chamber and pockets, said latter means being automatilWeight of n axis. d

, 18;.1n combination, a member mounted vcally operable by anoverbalancing, ofthe supporting member to open the chamber .communication to a pocket Vat, the lighter side of theaxis of rotation to equalize the the supporting 'member' about. its

for rotary movements 'and 'for .universal tiltv p ing movements lwith respect to its `axisof rotation', 'and means acting according tothe tilting movements of the member andI to th normal location thecenterof inertia of assises thereofto counterbalance the member.

19. In combination, a member mounted for rotary movements and for universal tilting movements with respect to its axis of the member relative to the. axis of' rotation @5 rotation and about'diil'erent centers which 70 tilting centers to control the shifting of the mass to counterbalance any `unevenness 1n the Weight of the member about its axis of rotation.

20. In combination, a member mounted for rotary movements and for universal tilting movements with respect to its axis 'ont rotation and about diii'erent centers which are spaced longitudinallyoi` its axis of rotation, said member having a center chamber and pockets radiating therefrom in equidistantly spaced relation around the member axis, a shiftable mass normally stored in the center chamber and adapted to pass into the pockets upon a rotation of the member, and means operable by a tilting of the member about one of'its tilting centers to control the admission of the shitable mass into the pocketswhereby the Weight oir' the member isequalized with respect to its axis of rotation.

, 21. ln combination, a rotatable supporting member capable o shifting movements transverse to its axis of rotation about different centers Which are spaced longitudinally. of the axis of rotation, said member having a central chamber with radiating pockets, a shiftable Weight counterbalancing mass disposed in the central chamber and shiftable into the pockets by centrifugal action, valve means operable by a predetermined transverse shifting of the member to control the distribution of the mass to the pockets in accordance with the unbalanced "condition of lthe member whereby it is balllO 22. Incombination, a rotatable supportmovements with respect to its axis of rota-7 tion, and With' its tilting centers spaced ing member, capable of universal` tilting longitudinally of the axis of rotation, said Y supporting member having apart forming a centrally disposed chamber with pockets radiating therefrom and Ain substantially the plane of one of the tiltingcenters of the member, a shiftable mass disposed in said chamber` and movable therefrom into the Apockets by"centrifugal action, and means controlling the communication between the chamber and pocketsand operable in accordance with a tilting of the member to` admit a portion of the mass to the pockets to equalize the weight of the member around by centrifugal action to transfer the norits axis. v mal center of inertia of the .member into 10 23.'In combination, a shaft mounted for register with its axis of rotation,-whereby a rot-ary and limited universal transverse balancing rotation of the member is effected` tilting movements, -a supporting member under varying load conditions. carried by the shaft for rotary and tilting` In testimony whereof, I have hereunto movements therewith, and means automatisigned my name to this specification. l cally operable'by a tilting of the shaft. and WILLIAM EMIL BOCK. 

